🔮With Heart and Hustle 💘

Friday the 13th might get a bad rap for superstition, but it’s a great reminder that perspective is everything. Just one day later, Valentine’s Day invites us to celebrate what—and who—we love. For me, that includes the work I get to do every day. Loving your work doesn’t mean it’s always easy; it means believing in the impact, the relationships, and the purpose behind it. Whether it feels lucky or challenging, I’m grateful to wake up each day doing work that truly matters. ❤️✨

And if you're seeing this on Tuesday, Feb. 17 with the email resend...I hope you had a safe & happy weekend! Melissa

📰What’s Making Headlines🚨

'His loss is massive': Inquests show spread of deadly synthetic drugs BBC

...Highly potent synthetic opioid drugs called nitazenes, which experts say can be many times more potent than heroin, have been linked to hundreds of deaths in the UK...

📸BBC

Wastewater reveals increase in new synthetic opioids during major New Orleans events Medical Xpress

⬇️Click here to download the DEA's 2025 bulletin on Benzimidazole-Opioids (aka nitazenes) and take a moment to review the 2025 Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association article Nitazenes: On Old Drug Class Causing New Problems 📄

The challenging transition from adolescence to adulthood

Psychology Today

New study shows that mental health messages resonates with young e-cigarette users Truth Initiative

...While young people often say they started vaping to cope with stress and anxiety, concerns about mental health are also driving young people to quit...

Instagram chief defends youth mental health decisions at trial Reuters

New research shows teen social media bans might not be the answer The Hill

World Youth Report highlights urgent need for inclusive, youth-informed mental health policies UN.org

🔗Looking for youth mental health resources? Check out the National Alliance on Mental Illness's (NAMI) resource page!

School complaints led to drug bust of 2,500 vapes in Florida TCPalm (FL)

Former mail carrier gets 15 years for drug trafficking USPS

Coast Guard seizes 200,000 pounds of cocaine in six months in Pacific Ocean Military.com

9 cruise passengers arrested for drug trafficking, possession in Miami USA Today

...Court records show that nine travelers ranging in age from 27 to 51 were charged in connection with alleged drug offenses involving substances such as ketamine, MDMA, cocaine, methamphetamine, GHB and GBL, with all facing possession charges and four of them accused of trafficking...

🗂️Check out the 2025 WHO World Drug Report for drug market patterns, contemporary issues, key findings, and points of interest.

'Time to Acknowledge Reality' - The New York Times warns American has a 'marijuana problem' Yahoo

Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome cases surge in Virginia: What is it? The Hill

Why today's cannabis is dangerous for developing brains Rutgers

🎞️Have you seen the documentary Cannabis Induced Psychosis: A Silent Epidemic by the amazing Laura Stack, CEO of Johnny's Ambassadors? This 45-minute film is FREE to show from their website for any public setting, without specific approval from Johnny’s Ambassadors. There are also Q&A and guidance for moderated panels, sending invites, and more! You don't want to miss it👀

🔎What's New📦

'New' Trends, Products, & Resources

While updating my Old Drugs, New Threats® presentation for this week's Statewide WI CESA schools talk, I found these 'new' Smyle Labs creations! What have you seen in your communities?

And in case you missed it...Smyle Labs has started to promoting their newest 'discreet' device - a 510 Cart Inhaler! This low-cost product includes the universal power source, two cover sizes, adjustable voltage setting, and a built-in filter to hide clouds.

View their socials to see how they are sharing this and others! 😶‍🌫️

📸Smyle Labs

🚨 Cychlorphine ‘Opines’ Alert ⚠️

Over the past few months I've been sharing headlines about a novel synthetic opioid, Cychlorpine.

Last month, the Center for Forensic Science

Research and Education (CFSRE) and NPS Discovery released a public alert on toxicology results.

Increase in fatal overdoses linked to novel synthetic opioid N-Propionitrile Chlorphine (Cychlorpine)

👉New Funding Opportunities💰

The 2026 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Community-based Coalition Enhancement Grants to Address Local Drug Crises Grants (CARA Local Drug Crises Grants) as an enhancement to current or formerly funded Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support program recipients is open!

The purpose of this program is to prevent and reduce the use of opioids and methamphetamines and the misuse of prescription drugs among youth ages 12-18 in communities throughout the United States. Closing date: April 28, 2026

One of my favorite mini-grants is SAMHSA's Communities Talk funding opportunity for local events to support youth substance use and mental health prevention education. Learn more at

https://communities-talk.com/ and let me know how I can help you reach your awareness building goals! This is a first-come, first-serve $750 stipend...don't wait!

Got a big idea? 🌱 Let’s bring it to life. If you’re planning a project, need strategic support, or want to explore possibilities, I’m here. Let’s create sustainable solutions that work—and ask about available discounts!

📅 Schedule a 1:1 today